Member-only story
My Feet Still Hurt
For the first time in my life, I worked on a political campaign.
It wasn’t just a volunteer gig. I was named the communication director for a state senate candidate. We were the Democratic pick in a heavy, traditional Republican district. We were definitely a long shot.
Support from the local Democratic party was uneven at best. No one was confident that we could win our race. It was a classic, up hill battle. My candidate was up against a long time politician with a decent yet unspectacular record.
Meeting with the local Democratic leadership was less than inspiring. They told us unequivocally that the only way to win elections was to “canvass and call.” And, to raise a minimum of $50,000 without their help or contributions from their own war chest. Their support was going to go to races that were sure bets, not races like ours.
Determined and idealistic, we decided to soldier on and do our best with our tiny budget, tiny group of volunteers, and big plans.
We got into NGPVAN, the Democratic Party’s technology juggernaut. It’s a treasure trove of data for figuring out how to go after voters and win their hearts and mind. I learned what it mean to “cut turf.” That’s the vernacular for targeting an area of likely and lean…